Table tennis set mounting and retaining means



F. E. SHOCK Nov. 20, 1962 TABLE TENNIS SET MOUNTING AND RETAINING MEANS Filed March 28, 1961 INVENTOR. FRANK E. SHOCK ATTORNEY atent fifiee Patented Nov. 20, 1962 This invention relates to mounting means and more particularly to mounting and retaining means for a game or the like. Still more particularly, the invention relates to mounting and retaining means particularly constructed and adapted for use with a table tennis set or the like. In another aspect, the invention relates to means for receiving and retaining table tennis balls and table tennis paddles during periods of nonuse. In a still further aspect, the invention relates to table tennis set mounting and retaining means having cooperating means for retaining balls and paddles thereon.

Various types of mounting and retaining means are known in the prior art. These include various types of ball retaining cylinders or the like as well as hangers or the like of various types for a wide variety of articles. However, the prior art devices do not provide mounting means wherein the various elements of games and the like can be retained during periods of nonuse. Furthermore, the prior art devices do not provide cooperating structures to retain relatively difiicult to store items, such as balls, paddles and the like.

In accordance with the present invention a new mounting and retaining means are provided particularly constructed for mounting and retaining a table tennis set. The mounting and retaining means of the invention includes a base member. Ball retaining means are provided with the base member to receive balls during nonuse. Means are provided with the base member to receive and retain the game playing elements, such as table tennis paddles or the like.

In a preferred specific embodiment of the invention a relatively fiat member is provided which is desirably shaped like a paddle and includes a handle portion and a base portion. Ball retaining means, such as a tube or the like is secured to the member and desirably to the handle portion thereof. Preferably, the tube is closed at the bottom thereof by a flange and a downwardly extending lip is preferably positioned over the base portion of the member. An opening is provided and the flange is desirably movable so that a ball can be removed from the opening in the tube, the opening normally being of size to prevent removal therefrom with the opening being enlargeable by forcing or depressing the flange downwardly. Means, such as pins or the like, are desirably provided with the base portion and positioned so as to receive therebetween the handles of a table tennis paddle or the like. The pin means are preferably positioned in relation to the flange and the lip portion thereof so that the ball engaging portion of the paddle will be positioned beneath the lip to retain the paddle in position. The paddleshaped member can be formed of various types of woods, plastics, metal, or the like, and is constructed to be mounted on a wall or the like preferably in the room where the game is played so that the various game playing elements can be returned to the mounting and retaining means during period of nonuse.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide new mounting and retaining means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new table tennis set mounting and retaining means having provisions for retaining therewith the balls and the paddles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new table tennis set mounting and retaining means having ball retaining means which cooperate with handle retaining means to position a table tennis paddle thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive mounting and retaining means for table tennis sets and the like.

Various other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a preferred specific embodiment of the table tennis set mounting and retaining means of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2.

The following is a discussion and description of a preferred specific embodiment of the new table tennis set mounting and retaining means of the invention, such being made with reference to the drawings Whereon the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same or similar parts and/or structure. It is to be understood that such discussion and description is not to unduly limit the scope of the invention.

The table tennis set mounting and retaining means of the invention includes a member 10 which is preferably a flat paddle-shaped member as shown in the drawings. Member 10 can be made of wood, plastics, metals, etc. The member 10 includes an elongated handle-shaped portion 12 and a generally round base portion 14. The base portion 14 is preferably shaped to resemble the ball engaging portion of a conventional table tennis paddle or the like.

Ball retaining means are preferably provided with the member 10. The ball retaining means can be an elongated ball retaining tube 16 which is of size to receive and retain therein a plurality of balls or the like 18. The tube 16 is preferably of such size as to be positioned on the handle portion 12 of the member 10 with the lower edge thereof at the base portion of the paddle-shaped member. The ball retaining tube 16 is open at the top end thereof so that balls can be easily inserted therein. Tube 16 preferably includes a fiat back portion 20 which is secured to the handle portion 12 of member 10 by wood screws 21 and 23 or other securing means. Tube 16 has a forward portion 22 which projects from back 20 and is secured thereto in any suitable manner. Preferably, the forward portion 22 is U-shaped in transverse cross section as best shown in FIG. 3.

The back 20 of the tube 16 preferably has an integral outwardly extending flange portion 24 which closes the bottom of tube 16. Flange 24 is preferably provided with an integral downwardly extending lip portion 26 which is positioned to overlie and be spaced from the base portion 14 of the paddle-shaped member 10. The forward portion 22 of the tube 16 is preferably provided with an opening 28 located at the bottom and at the front thereof and adjacent to the flange 24 as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. Opening 28 is preferably normally of size to be slightly smaller than a table tennis ball 18 the open top portion thereof.

handles 40' positioned therebetween.

so that the balls will be retained in place within the tube 16. In order to remove the balls 18 from the tube 16 flange 24 can be depressed to enlarge the opening 28 and permit removal of the ball 18 therefrom. If desired, opening 28 can be relatively deep into the sides of the projecting portion 2 Zthereof so that the ball can be gripped and pulled outwardly through opening 28 to depress the flange 24 and enlarge the opening sufliciently to remove the ball therefrom. This relatively simple ball retaining structure is very desirable and permits easy removal of the balls 18 when needed and eliminates inadvertentloss of the balls through the opening 28.

A plurality ofpin members 30 are provided and are mounted in the base portion 14 of the paddle-shaped member to project upwardly and outwardly therefrom as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Preferably, the pin members 30define an acute angle with the outer surface of the member 10 immediately thereabove. Pin members 39 are .preferably equally spaced apart and symmetrically arranged or positioned in a generally semi-circular manner on the portion of the base portion 14 opposite from the handle portion 12 of the paddle-shaped member 10. The [pin members 30 can be simply dowel pins or the like which are mounted in apertures in member 10 in any suitable manner.

. In use, the member 10 is preferably mounted on a wall 32 or the like by securing means, such as by the use of wood screws 34 and 36. The handle portion 12 of member 10 is desirably located upwardly as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and a number of table tennis balls 18 or the like can bepositioned in tube 16 by dropping same through The table tennis paddles 38 are located on the base portion 14 of member 10 and preferably with the handle portions 40 thereof positioned between the pin member 30. Preferably, enough of the pin members 30 are provided so that one of the paddles 38 can be located with the handle 40 thereof betweentwo of the pin means, however, if desired, two or three of the pin means can be provided with all of the With the handles 40 of paddles 38 positioned as hereinbefore described, the ball engaging portion of paddle 38 will be located beneath lip 26 depending from flange 24 and this lip will cooperate with the paddle members toprevent same from being inadvertently dislodged from the device. As hereinbefore described the pin members 30 are'preferably mounted'to form an acute angle with the outer surface of member 10 immediately above the pin members. This structure aids in preventing the paddle members 38 from sliding from ,the member 10. The member 10, pin means 30 and lip 26 thus cooperate to maintain the paddle 38 in the desired position during periods of nonuse.

' vWhen it is'desired touse the table tennis set, it is merely necessary tolift the handles 40 of .paddles 38 to remove same from the base portion 14 of member 10 and one or more of the balls 18 are then removed either by depressing flange. 24 or by forcing the ball 18 through opening 28, which will force flange 24 downwardly.

.As will-be seenfrom the foregoing description of the table tennis set mounting and retaining means of the in- ,vention, such can be made of a relatively few parts and inexpensively constructed and assembled, thus providing arelatively simple and desirable article. Furthermore, ithe preferred paddle-shapeof the member 10 adds eye appeal and makes the device attractive for mounting on the wall of a game room or the like.

Whilelthe invention has been described in connection witha} preferred specific embodiment thereof, it will be understood. that this description is intended to illustrate and not to unduly limit is defined by theclaims.

[I claim:

' 1.,A table tennis. set mounting and retaining means comprising, in combination, a flat, wooden, paddle-shaped member having an elongated handle portion and a gener- -ally round base portion, an elongated ball retaining tube the scope of the invention, which positioned on said handle portion of said paddle-shaped member with the lower end-thereof at said base portion of said paddle-shaped member, said ball retaining tube being open at the top and having a flat back secured to said handle portion with a forward portion U-shaped in transverse cross section projecting therefrom, said back of said ball retaining tube having an integral outwardly extending flange closing the bottom of said tube and a lip extending downwardly from said flange at the front thereof and overlying and spaced from said base portion of said paddleshaped member, said forward projecting portion of said ball retaining tube having an opening at the bottom of the front thereof adjacent to said flange, said opening being slightly smaller in size than a table tennis ball, said flange being flexible and depressable to enlarge said opening to permit removal of a tennis ball'therethrough, and five pin members mounted in said base portion of said paddleshaped member and projecting upwardly and outwardly therefrom and defining an acute angle with the outer surface therea bove, said pin members being equally spaced apart and symmetrically positioned in a semi-circle on the portion of said base portion opposite from said handle portion, said pins being constructed and mounted to receive and retain therebetween the handles of table tennis paddles with the ball engaging portions thereof being positioned on said base portion of said paddle-shaped member with one edge thereof beneath said lip portion of said ball retaining tube to thereby prevent accidental displacement of said paddles from said base .portion of said paddle-shaped member and table tennis balls can be retained in said tube during periods of nonuse.

2. A table tennis set mounting and retaining means, comprising, in combination, a flat paddle-shaped memher having a handle portion and a generally round base portion, an elongated ball retaining tube positioned on said handle portion of said paddle-shaped member, said ball retaining tube being open at the top and secured to said handle portion of said paddle-shaped member, said tube having an outwardly extending flange closing the bottom thereof with a lip extending downwardly from said flange and overlying and spaced from. said base, portion of said paddle-shaped member, an opening in the bottom portion of said'tube adjacent to said'flange, said opening being smaller in size than a table tennis ball and enlargable by movement of said flange so that a table tennis ball can pass therethrough, a plurality of pin members mounted in said base portion of said paddle-shaped member and projecting upwardly and outwardly therefrom and defining an acute angle with the outer surface thereabove, said pins being constructed and mounted to receive and retain therebetween the handles ,of table tennis paddles with the ball engaging portions thereof vonsaid base portion of said paddle-shaped member to' receive and retain therebetween the handles of table ,tennis paddles or the like, said table tennis set mounting and retaining means being constructed and adapted so that table tennis ballscan be positioned and retained within said tube and removed therefrom andtable tennis paddles, can be positionedon said base portion of said paddle-shaped member with the handles thereof positioned betwen said pin means and with the ball engaging portions thereof positioned beneath said depending lip on said tube and retained therein.

4. Table tennis set mounting and retaining means comprising, in combination, a relatively flat member, a ball retaining tube mounted on said member and constructed to receive table tennis balls or the like therein, pin means mounted on said member, said pin means and said tube cooperating to retain therebetween a table tennis paddle.

5. Table tennis set mounting and retaining means comprising, in combination, a base member, ball holding means mounted on said base member and adapted to receive and hold table tennis balls, paddle mounting means on said base member to receive and hold table tennis paddles, said ball holding means having a portion contasting one of said table tennis paddles when mounted in said set mounting and retaining means and cooperating with said paddle mounting means to hold said paddles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 829,473 Hill Aug. 28, 1906 1,418,093 Parmater May 30, 1922 2,443,861 Johnston June 22, 1948 10 2,801,105 Acton July 30, 1957 

